Oregon alert - another journalist with no palate when it comes to pinot noir

We’ve got some new clown on the local scene who allegedly has some tasting chops and he’s done a “Top 50” in Oregon review for Oregon Monthly, a local “lifestyle” rag. Almost all the top wines are from the “more of everything is better - more oak, more extract, more alcohol, more color, more money” school of pinot noir - Archery Summit, Domaine Serene, Ken Wright, Bergstrom, etc.

Where’s the Belle Pente? Where’s the Thomas? What about Cameron? Scott Paul? Brick House beyond the chardonnay that was ranked #27? What a joke.

Tasted some of the Archery Summits yesterday at the SW&S trade show. They weren’t big enough for my palate. I thought they tasted feeble. I guess you must be glad I am not a crtitc there. neener

Here is a link to the article if anyone is interested.
FWIW, I thought the author’s (hopefully pen) name Condé Cox would be an awesome female porn handle, unfortunately she seems to be a 55 year old he. [suicide.gif]

Since Bob’s already got a handle on the, shall we say, critical side of this article, I must say that there are a few noteworthy recommendations here. I really do hate best of lists though. The #2 wine is 1789, made by Isabelle Dutarte of De Ponte and the early Le Cadeau wines (2002 and 2003). This wine was among the class of the latest Indie Wine Fest in Portland a few months back. This is all finesse. Note that she made the #30 wine from Vista Hills. Same too with the Et Fille wines of Howard Mozeico, who’s a good guy and old home winemaker who went pro several years ago. At the Indie Wine Fest, his latest wines also had such nice perfume and finesse. These wines deserve attention. Sure, most of the notes in this list tell the real story – intensely concentrated, rich, oaky, etc etc etc. Some wines fit a different bill, one I prefer. I’m not saying that’s better for everyone. There’s just more to Oregon wine than this list suggests, exceptions notwithstanding.

It looks like she obtained 50 random wines and then ranked them. I wouldn’t wipe my butt with that rag. Do like Iota and Francis Tannahill though.

Were they 2006 or 2007? Or . . .

I don’t see what all the hooplah is about Bill. You already know which wines you like in Oregon, as you point out often. Why do you really want a bunch more press on these wineries? Does JP at Cameron really need more help selling out in days? Thomas seems to be doing alright, too. I don’t know much about Belle Pente, but if they’re the shizzle in your mind then wonderful, tell your friends.

The cool thing about the world is that there are many view points, so not every wine critic is going to match up with your views. I happen to agree with you about the Oregon wines worth buying, but it’s no skin off my back if some lifestyle mag here in town is pushing the big boy pinots.

Then there’s the other side of your critique, would you call this guy a “clown” to his face?

Then why do it online.

“She” is a he and neither would I, which is why I sneaked a peek in line at the supermarket and followed up online. No way I’m paying five bucks for that garbaszhe.

I don’t see what all the hooplah is about Bill. You already know which wines you like in Oregon, as you point out often. Why do you really want a bunch more press on these wineries? Does JP at Cameron really need more help selling out in days? Thomas seems to be doing alright, too. I don’t know much about Belle Pente, but if they’re the shizzle in your mind then wonderful, tell your friends.

The cool thing about the world is that there are many view points, so not every wine critic is going to match up with your views. I happen to agree with you about the Oregon wines worth buying, but it’s no skin off my back if some lifestyle mag here in town is pushing the big boy pinots.

Then there’s the other side of your critique, would you call this guy a “clown” to his face?

Then why do it online.

Not Bob, but I could not disagree more. Combine an audience of casual wine drinkers who are perhaps interested in branching out and someone who touts himself to be a reliable wine critic (but is not) and you get misinformation, plain and simple. It is one thing to take the “Food and Wine” approach of recommending a group of wines and quite another to rank them as the top fifty wines, #1 through #50 on offer from all of Oregon.
And sorry to be mean (and I am), but if you don’t know Belle Pente, than you don’t know much about Oregon pinot. And let me say this too; I’m absolutely sick of hearing “The cool things about us people is that we all have palates and viewpoints”. What a bunch of utter nonsense. Such viewpoints do nothing but promote ignorance and acceptance of inferior product. It’s like saying “Thank God for Walmart”.

Even skimming, I only made it to page 6. But most of the time I thought I was just looking at a list of the most expensive Oregon wines.

This magazine put a call out to wineries to submit thier wines to Mr. Cox for this article I assume. Sorry, but any taster that starts his day with mustard, rye bread and a hot dog doesn’t hold alot of credibility in his tasting. I for one, cannot overwhelm my mouth with strong food then expect to taste anything correctly.
Looking over the wines he liked, I saw one on the list that just made me laugh, as we opened this not too long ago and it was definately flawed (however, had a big name).
Nice to see we live in America and can all have opinions - right or wrong
L

Who is “Bill”?

Of course they are doing all right - both of them - and no, they don’t need the press, but that’s not the point. Which is that between this guy and Harvey Steiman (who I’m convinced has kimchee instead of hot dogs for breakfast) the casual wine drinker is getting the idea that the pinnacle of Oregon pinot noir is not only a caricature of what pinot noir is about, it costs upwards of $100.

Actually, I did. Ten years ago. I told one friend who told our mutual online friends who told their friends and lo . . . a cult following occurred that exists to this day. It was a happy accident of timing, as the friend I told was planning on visiting the next day anyway.

With a name like that? Probably. With his laughable score of 82 for the 2007 Seven of Hearts Eola-Amity pinot noir that puts it among his “best values”? Most assuredly.

Never claimed to know much about Oregon Pinot, or any other wine region. I know enough to have my small cellar filled with Oregon wines I enjoy drinking every vintage, don’t need any magazine to tell me which ones I enjoy the most.

All I was trying to say is that just because you disagree with the dudes assessment of the wines in Oregon, doesn’t mean he lacks a palate or knows nothing about wine.

You think there is an absolute hierarchy of wine? What absolute and total nonsense to me.

Oh and sorry Bob, I have a close friend name Bill Wood, for some reason every time I read your posts your name is processed as Bill.

Well put. I wouldn’t go so far as to say there’s an inverse relationship between price and quality in Oregon, but it sort of looks that way sometimes. Oregon’s price ceiling is still well-below California’s, but there’s a similar theme: our most expensive wines are often priced long before they’re made, and then wrapped in a foo foo tasting room and gobs of new French oak. To the neophyte oeno with more budget than tasting experience, they’re the very definition of Oregon Pinot even when they’re so dominated by oak and alcohol that they could be any red wine grape from any region. It’s disappointing to see wine writers influenced by the same marketing smoke and mirrors.

I am not opposed to success, or even high prices when they’re justified. I just hate to see journalists perpetuate the myths of advertising. I love a silly, overpriced handbag as much as any woman, but I have a closet full of disappointments to show any style writer who claims Louis Vuitton charges for quality and not image.

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You have a closet full of LV bags?? damn woman!! my wife would love your closet. flirtysmile flirtysmile
and of course they charge for image… b/c I can skin a cow for cheaper leather myself…

I read that list, and thought - man am i missing the right wineries to visit?
Then i saw the prices and decided it’s best I skip the $75/btl wineries anyways…
:stuck_out_tongue:

Hallelujah- the good shiz is hard enough to get as it is.

06, would I pull your chain Bill?

How 'bout if you send me your cellar inventory, I send you my LV inventory, and your wife and I arrange a swap? [berserker.gif]

my wife, like women everywhere, does NOT need more bags… i mean… really…
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